Health Sciences 1001A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Autonomic Nervous System, Walter Bradford Cannon, Pituitary Gland

• School: Western University
• Department: Health Sciences
• Course: Health Sciences 1001A/B
• Professor: Jeannie Samuel

Document Summary

Any physical or psychological event or condition that produce stress: not limited to negative situations, also a response to pleasurable physical challenges and the achievement of personal goals. Refers to two different things: situations that trigger physical and emotional reactions, the reactions themselves. Stressor: a situation or event that triggers physical and emotional reactions. Stress: the general physical and emotional state that accompanies the stress response: ex. a person taking a final exam experiences stress. The primary determinant of the health consequences of stress is how the individual responds to the stress. Responses to stressors include: physical changes. Shortness of breath: emotional and behavioural responses. Two systems in your body control your physical response to stressors. Autonomic nervous system: part of the nervous system that is not under conscious supervision, consists of two divisions, parasympathetic division: Aids in digestion, storing energy, growth promotion: sympathetic division. Activated during arousal and emergency situations (pain, anger, fear)